Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands – The race for the title at the 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters intensified in Round 7, as Indian Grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh secured a crucial victory to join the leaders at the top of the standings. With half the tournament now completed, Gukesh sits on 5 points, level with fellow Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa and Uzbekistan`s Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Gukesh`s ascent came courtesy of a win against his compatriot, Pentala Harikrishna. Interestingly, this was the second time in the tournament that Gukesh defeated someone who served as one of his seconds for the recent World Championship match. Harikrishna opted for the French Defense, an opening favored by the reigning World Champion Ding Liren. However, Gukesh appeared unfazed. The game saw a pivotal moment around move 15 when an inaccuracy from Harikrishna allowed Gukesh to establish a superior position.
Despite gaining an early advantage, Gukesh`s path to victory was not a straightforward march. He had to meticulously improve his position, demonstrating patience and positional skill. His persistence paid off, and after a prolonged battle, Harikrishna resigned on move 45, conceding the full point to Gukesh.
While Gukesh was making his move, the other co-leaders had less decisive outcomes. R Praggnanandhaa agreed to a quick draw against local player Jordan van Foreest, a result that kept him tied at the top but allowed Gukesh to catch up. Similarly, Nodirbek Abdusattorov drew his game against Anish Giri, also maintaining his position in the leading pack.
Beyond the top boards, Round 7 featured two other games with decisive results. Dutch player Max Warmerdam defeated Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi, and Vladimir Fedoseev overcame Vincent Keymer. For Arjun Erigaisi, this loss continued an unenviable streak; he has now gone 20 consecutive games across the 2023 and 2025 Tata Steel Masters editions without securing a win. This difficult run has regrettably impacted his live rating, costing him the status of India`s top-ranked player for the moment.
Other games in the round saw draws: Leon Mendonca shared the point with China`s Wei Yi, and Fabiano Caruana drew against Alexey Sarana.
Looking ahead to Round 8, the tournament promises more excitement. The standout fixture is the clash between the two Indian leaders, Dommaraju Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa. This highly anticipated encounter could significantly influence the shape of the leaderboard and potentially hint at the eventual destination of the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Masters title.
Round 7 Results at 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters
- Dommaraju Gukesh 1-0 Pentala Harikrishna
- Jordan van Foreest 0.5-0.5 R Praggnanandhaa
- Max Warmerdam 1-0 Arjun Erigaisi
- Anish Giri 0.5-0.5 Nodirbek Abdusattorov
- Wei Yi 0.5-0.5 Leon Luke Mendonca
- Fabiano Caruana 0.5-0.5 Alexey Sarana
- Vladimir Fedoseev 1-0 Vincent Keymer
Standings after Round 7
- Dommaraju Gukesh: 5 points
- R Praggnanandhaa: 5 points
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 5 points
- Vladimir Fedoseev: 4.5 points
- Alexey Sarana: 4 points
- Wei Yi: 3.5 points
- Pentala Harikrishna: 3.5 points
- Fabiano Caruana: 3.5 points
- Anish Giri: 3 points
- Max Warmerdam: 3 points
- Vincent Keymer: 3 points
- Jordan van Foreest: 2.5 points
- Leon Luke Mendonca: 2 points
- Arjun Erigaisi: 1.5 points
